Bengals, Stewart End Holdout With New Contract Terms

Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart has ended his contract holdout by signing a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal, including a $10.4 million signing bonus with an additional $500,000 paid upfront. The dispute stemmed from a newly introduced contract clause for Bengals first-round picks allowing guarantees to be voided for off-field conduct. Both sides reached a compromise, with Stewart accepting the new language in exchange for a more favorable bonus payout. Stewart missed all offseason activities and the first few days of training camp during the impasse. Bengals owner Mike Brown described the disagreement as unnecessary and focused on protection clauses rather than salary. With Stewart's signing, all 2025 first-round NFL Draft picks are now under contract.